Elon Musk revealed that Tesla has ongoing plans to increase its presence in China.
CNBC reports Musk discussed the automaker’s commitment to the country during the recently held World Internet Conference.
“My frank observation is that China spends a lot of resources and efforts applying the latest digital technologies in different industries, including the automobile industry, making China a global leader in digitalization,” Musk said in a pre-recorded video. “Tesla will continue to expand our investment and R&D efforts in China.”
Musk noted the company has set up a data center to localize all data, including production and sales, generated from its business in China.
“All personally identifiable information is securely stored in China without being transferred overseas,” Musk said. “Only in very rare cases, for example, spare parts orders from overseas is data approved for transfer internationally.”
Telsa has been working on its reputation in China after coming under regulatory scrutiny there following a flurry of recalls, according to CNBC.
“At Tesla, we are glad to see a number of laws and regulations that have been released to strengthen data management,” Musk said.
CNBC reported Musk previously praised Chinese automakers as "most competitive" in the world during the World New Energy Vehicle Congress.
Musk said many of the automakers have been responsible for driving electric vehicle technologies.
Tesla has operated a factory in Shanghai since 2019.